Turbomachinery blade and method of fabricating

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a turbomachinery blade and a method of fabricating the turbomachinery blade. The turbomachinery blade comprises a plurality of blade segments, and the plurality of the blade segments are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction forming radial seams between adjacent blade segments. The method comprises forming a plurality of blade segments which are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction; and forming radial seams between adjacent blade segments.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A turbomachinery blade comprising:
 a root; 
 an airfoil extending outwardly in a radial direction from the root, and having an airfoil tip; 
 wherein the airfoil is formed as a plurality of airfoil segments, 
 wherein the plurality of airfoil segments are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction forming airfoil radial seams between adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segments, 
 wherein the airfoil radial seams extend from a radial end of the airfoil tip to the root, 
 wherein the turbomachinery blade further comprises an outer layer defining an outer surface of the turbomachinery blade disposed at least at a radially central portion of the turbomachinery blade that is closer to a radial center between the airfoil tip and the root than the airfoil tip and the root, 
 wherein the outer layer is non-metallic type made of a material comprising a fiber, and 
 wherein the outer layer holds the airfoil segments, and axially-facing surfaces of the outer layer are configured to be disposed in a flowpath of the turbomachinery, under normal operation of the turbomachinery blade. 
 
     
     
       2. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the airfoil radial seams between the adjacent airfoil segments is curved. 
     
     
       3. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the root comprises a plurality of root segments, and 
 wherein the plurality of root segments are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction forming root radial seams between adjacent root segments. 
 
     
     
       4. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of root segments comprises a dovetail. 
     
     
       5. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segments are held together using fasteners. 
     
     
       6. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one groove and at least one tongue disposed between adjacent airfoil segments, 
 wherein the at least one groove, the at least one tongue and the outer layer hold the airfoil segments under normal operation of the turbomachinery blade. 
 
     
     
       7. The turbomachinery blade of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the root comprises a plurality of root segments, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of root segments corresponds to each of the plurality of airfoil segments, respectively. 
 
     
     
       8. A fan assembly comprising:
 a fan casing, and 
 a plurality of fan blades spaced apart from one another circumferentially, 
 wherein each of the plurality of fan blades comprises:
 a root; 
 an airfoil extending outwardly in a radial direction from the root, and having an airfoil tip; 
 wherein the airfoil is formed as a plurality of airfoil segments, 
 wherein the plurality of airfoil segments are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction forming airfoil radial seams between adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segments, and 
 wherein the airfoil radial seams extend from a radial end of the airfoil tip to the root, 
 
 wherein the fan blade further comprises an outer layer defining an outer surface of the fan blade disposed at least at a radially central portion of the fan blade that is closer to a radial center between the airfoil tip and the root than the airfoil tip and the root, 
 wherein the outer layer is non-metallic type made of a material comprising a fiber, and 
 wherein the outer layer holds the airfoil segments, and axially-facing surfaces of the outer layer are configured to be disposed in a flowpath of the fan, under normal operation of the fan blade. 
 
     
     
       9. The fan assembly of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the root comprises a plurality of root segments, and 
 wherein the plurality of root segments are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction forming root radial seams between adjacent root segments. 
 
     
     
       10. The fan assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segments are held together using fasteners. 
     
     
       11. A method of fabricating a fan blade comprising:
 forming a root; 
 forming an airfoil that extends outwardly in a radial direction from the root and that has an airfoil tip, wherein the airfoil is formed as a plurality of airfoil segments to be separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction; and 
 forming airfoil radial seams between adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segments, 
 wherein the airfoil radial seams extend from a radial end of the airfoil tip to the root, 
 wherein the method further comprises forming an outer layer defining an outer surface of the turbomachinery blade disposed at least at a radially central portion of the turbomachinery blade that is closer to a radial center between the airfoil tip and the root than the airfoil tip and the root, 
 wherein the outer layer is non-metallic type made of a material comprising a fiber, and 
 wherein the outer layer holds the airfoil segments, and axially-facing surfaces of the outer layer are configured to be disposed in a flowpath of the turbomachinery, under normal operation of the turbomachinery blade. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the forming the root comprises:
 forming a plurality of root segments which are separate from one another at least partially in an axial direction, and 
 forming root radial seams between adjacent root segments of the plurality of root segments. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 fastening the adjacent airfoil segments of the plurality of airfoil segment and the corresponding adjacent airfoil segment thereof together.